Electric switch



Apr. 24, 1923.

c. s. PRICE ELECTRIC SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 26. 1920 Apr. 24, 1923. 1,452,931

4 qs. PRICE y ELECTRIC swmcH fFiled Nov. 26. 1920 2 sheets-sheet 2 Hwa;

35 l ,'33A A Patented Apr.. 24, l923.

CHARLES S. PRICE, OF RUTHERFORD, NEW J, ASSGNGB. T0 VESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., CORPORATIOIIOF NEW YORK.

ELECTRC SWITCH.

Application filed November T 0 all fwwm if 71mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. Pinon, a citizen of the United States, residing` at Rutherford, in the county of Bergen, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a-full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to snap switches and particularly to a novel mechanism applicable for use in electrolier switches. The invention is, however, capable ot wider use than the specific application to which the succeeding detailed description is directed.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a step-by-step rotary contact operating mechanism which will positively eliminate all tendency to overthrow aswell as all tendency toward retrograde movement of thecontact member.

The above object is accomplished in the present invention by the combination with a` rotary contact member adapted to be moved unidirectionally step-by-step, of a stepping pawl and a holding pawl under control of the stepping pawl. At the end of each forward step the holding` pawl operates to positively stop the rotary contact member and continues to hold the latter against rotation in either direction during the backward movement of the stepping pawl. The holding pawl is operated by the stepping pawl as the latter approaches the limit of its backward movement to release the'rotary contact member thereby permitting another forward step under the actuation of the steppingppawl.

Theinvention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectionk through the switch along the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a cross-section ,along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a 'longitudinal section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of several details. Figs. 5"l to 5e inclusive illustrate diagrammatically the conjoint operation of the stepping pawl and the holding pawl. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating one way in which the switch maybe employed to control a plurality of lighting circuits.

A receptacle 7 of porcelain or other suitable insulating material is attached to a supporting member Shy screws). A manipuae, i920. sei-iai no. 426,537.

lating lever 10 is pivoted on pin 11 which is seated in slots (not shown) in the threaded collar 12. A nut- 13 engaging the thread of collar 12 retains lever 10 andescutcheon plate 14. integral with and depending from supporting member 8 are two parallel arms 1.5 and 16 respectively.l A rocker member 17 pivotally engages a punched out lug 15 lon arm 15 and a fulcrum. pin 19 which passes through an aperture 18 in the arm 16. The lug 15 engages the bottom of slot 17 (shown in Fig. 4). Rocker member17 is adapted to oscillate about its pivots and is limited in its movement by the lugs 152 and 153 integral with arm 15. An helical spring 2O is connected to the hook 17 2 of the rocker member 17 and to the hook 10 of the manipulating lever 10. Movement of the manipulating' lever 10 elongates spring 2O and simultaneously shifts the direction of pull on the rocker member 17 toward the rdead center thereof. Upon the direction of pull passing the dead center the rocker member is quickly moved to its opposite position by the energy stored up in spring 20. Contact brushes 21 are insulatively mounted on rocker member 17. rlhese brushesL oscillate with the rocker member to make and break engagement with the lixedcontacts 22.

Anotherset'of Contact brushes v23 comprises three/contact arms situated at angles of 900 one from the other as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6. rlhese last mentionedk brushes are insulai'zively attached to a ratchet wheel 24 andseparated therefrom by a fiber disc 25. The ratchet wheel 24 is provided with a busliing26 which in turn is rotatably mounted. on fulcrum pin 19. A stepping pawl 27k (see Fig.y 4) is pivoted on thefulcrum pin 19 vand adapted to be oscillated by rocker member 17 in response to movements of the manipulating lever 10. Upon each forward movement of the stepping pawl 27 the latter engages one of the detente 28 in the ratchet wheel 24 and rotates the ratchet y During its backward movement the stepping pawl 27 bears against the ratchet wheel 24 and would be likely to rotate the latter backwardly were it not for the tact that the holding pawl 29 remains in engagement with a detent 28 throughout substantially the entire 'backward movement of the stepping pawl. As the stepping pawl approaches the limit of its backward movement it engages a cam shaped tail piece on the holding pawl and withdraws the latter from engagement with the detent 28.

The conjoint operation of the stepping pawl. holding pawl and ratchet wheel is clearly illustrated by Figs. 5fL to 5e inclusive. In Fig. 5' the stepping pawl 27 is shown in its back position wherein it engages one of the detents 23 and also engages the holding pawl restraining the latter from engagement with a detent. ln this position the stepping` pawl is ready to be moved forwardly. In Fig. 5b the stepping pawl is started-on a for ward movement and has released the holding pawl which it will be seen bears against the side of the ratchet wheel. In Fig. 5c the stepping pawl has nearly reached the limit of its forward stroke and the holding pawl is about to drop into a succeeding detent. In Fig. 5d the stepping pawl is moving backwardly. It will be seen that the stepping pawl during its backward movement bears against the side or' the ratchet wheel tending to carry the latter backwardly but is revented from doing so by virtue of the holding pawl remaining in engagement with the detent throughout the entire backward stroke. In Fig. 5e the stepping pawl is approaching the liimt of its backward movement and has engaged the cam shaped tail piece of the holding pawl and is in the act of withdrawing the latter from the detent.

The spring 30 which supports the holding pawl 29 is mounted on fulcrum pin 1.9 but is prevented from rotating thereon by the bent-up ears 31 which engage parallel sides o't arm 16. The several parts which are mounted on tulcrum pin 19 are held in place thereon by the nut 47 which engages the threaded end ot the fulcrum pin.

Three iixed contacts 33, 34 and 35 cooperate with the brushes 23.

Fig. 6 illustrates diagrammatically how the switch described may be employed to control three lighting circuits one of which is a main circuit and the other two branch circuits. Four diierent lighting combinations are obtainable in succession by repeated Voperations of the switch and the alternate operations extinguish all the lights.

The main circuit comprises conductor 36, fixed contacts 22, brush 21, conductor 37, lamp 38 and conductor 39. One of the branch circuits extends Jfrom conductor 37, through conductor .42, fixed Contact 35,

brushes 23, fixed contact 34C, conductor 43, lamp 40, conductor 44 to conductor 39. rllhe other branch circuit extends from conductor 37 through conductor 42, fixed contact 35, brushes 23, fixed contact 33, conductor 45, lamp 41 and conductor 46 to conductor 39. The oscillatory contact brush 2l being connected in the main circuit controls not only the main circuit but the branch circuits as well so that when that contact brush is disengaged from its iixed contacts 22 all the lamps are extinguished. This is seen to be the case in Figs. 6A, 6C, 6E and 6G. ln Fig. 6B only lamp 33 which is in the main line circuit is lighted. ln Fig. 6D lamps 33 and Il0 are lighted. In Fig. 6F all the lamps are lighted. In Fig. GH lamps 33 and Lll are lighted.

What is claimed is:

l. In a switch, a contact member. a rotatable ratchet member, a stepping pawl for driving said ratchet member and said contact member, a holding pawl operative to prevent both overthrow and retrograde movement of said ratchet member. said holding pawl being controllable by said stepping pawl.

2. In a switch. a contact member, a rotatable ratchet member for driving said contact member, a stepping` pawl for imparting a step-by-step rotary movement to said ratchet member, a holding pawl normally engaging said ratchet member, adapted to prevent both forward and back rotation thereof while so engaged, said stepping pawl operative upon its backward movement to withdraw said holding pawl from operative engagement with said ratchet member.

3. In a switch, manual operating means, an oscillatory contact .member and a fixed contact cooperative therewith, said oscillatory contact member operable to engage its associated iixed contact upon movement in one direction ot said manual operating means and to discngage said iixed contact upon movement in the opposite directionof said manual operating means. a step-bvstcp rotary Contact member and a fixed contact cooperating therewith, said rotary contact member responsive only to movements in one direction of said manual operating means and means for preventing both oven throw and retrograde movement of said ro tary contact member.

fl. In a switch. an oscillatory contact member and a lixed contact associated thereN with, a rotary contact member comprising a. plurality of contact arms. a plurality oi fixed contacts associated with said rotary contact member, common operating means for said oscillatory contact member and said rotary contact member, step-by-step means operable by said common operating means for advancing Said. rotary Contact member in one direction and a detent device adapted to prevent both overthrow and retrograde movement of said rotary Contact member.

5. ln a snap switch, a pivoted rocker member, an operating lever, a spring connecting said rocker member and said operating lever, said spring adapted to be tensioned by a movement of saidlever in either direction and to subsequently impart a quick movement to said rocker member, a con tact member supported by said rocker member and adapted to be oscillated thereby, a ixed contact cooperatively associated with said contact member, a rotatably mounted ratchet wheel, a contact member insulatively attached to said ratchet wheel and rotatable therewith, fixed contacts associated with said last mentioned contact member, a plurality of detents in said ratchet wheel, a stepping pawl for said ratchet wheel adapted to be moved forward and back by said rocker member and 'to rotate said ratchet wheel together with said last mentioned contact member upon each forward movement, a holding pawl normally engaging one of said detents and restrainingsaid ratchet wheel against both forward and backward rotation, said holding pawl arranged to be engaged by said stepping paw] upon each backward movement of the latter and withdrawn from engagement with said detent, said holding pawl arranged to be released by said stepping pawl upon forward movement thereof whereby it is free to engage a succeeding detent.

6. In a switch, a contact member, a ratchet wheel, means operable to prevent overthrow and retrograde movement of said ratchet wheel, a stepping pawl for driving said ratchet wheel and said contact member, said means operable. by said stepping pawl to release said ratchet wheel.

7. ln a switch, a contact member, a ratchet wheel, a holding` pawl for said ratchet wheel. said holding pawl operable to restrain said ratchet wheel from rotation in either' direction, a stepping pawl adapted to drive said ratchet wheel and said contact member in one direction and adapted to withdraw said holdingpawl from engagement with said ratchet wheel upon approaching the limit of its backward movement.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of November A. D., 1920.

CHARLES S. PRICE. 

